The NSW Government has given the green light for construction of a new project set to provide more secure electricity to more than half a million people in Sydney’s inner suburbs.
TransGrid’s Powering Sydney’s Future project aims to ensure safe, reliable and affordable electricity supply for more than 800,000 people living and working in Sydney’s CBD and surrounding areas – and generate 140 jobs in the process.
NSW Energy Minister, Matt Kean, said the upgraded infrastructure will provide additional security of supply during peak demand periods for more than half a million homes and businesses.
“Parts of Sydney’s transmission and distribution networks are reaching their end of life, so this project will play a crucial role in ensuring a continuous and reliable energy supply for our communities,” Mr Kean said.
Sydney’s CBD and surrounding areas are currently supplied by electricity cables installed more than 50 years ago, which are now reaching the end of their serviceable life.
The Powering Sydney’s Future project will replace these with new high-voltage cables.
A 20km, 330kV underground transmission circuit will run between the Rookwood Road substation in Potts Hill and the Beaconsfield West substation in Alexandria.
The project will also upgrade substations at Potts Hill, Alexandria and Picnic Point.
As part of the approval, TransGrid will be required to minimise impacts to mature tree canopy, and plant at least two trees for every one removed during construction.
The project is expected to inject $285 million into the NSW economy and be shovel ready by July 2020.
Powering Sydney’s Future is the 15th project to be determined through the Planning System Acceleration Program, which is fast-tracking project assessments to keep people in jobs and the economy moving during COVID-19.
Over May 2020, the Planning System Acceleration Program has injected almost $2.7 billion into the state’s economy and enabled the creation of more than 17,500 jobs right across NSW.
TransGrid CEO, Paul Italiano, said the company was pleased the NSW Government had fast tracked its process and welcomed the planning approval for the project.
“Construction will begin on Powering Sydney’s Future this winter and we will continue to work closely with residents, businesses and local councils throughout the project,” Mr Italiano said.
The project, approved by the Australian Energy Regulator in May 2018, will ensure reliability of supply to the nation’s largest economy.
“Sydney’s peak electricity demand has escalated since 2014 and even taking into account the current COVID19 crisis, it is expected to continue to grow with major new transport infrastructure projects under construction – including Sydney Metro (City and Southwest), WestConnex and the Western Harbour Tunnel and the recently opened Sydney Light Rail,” Mr Italiano said.
The Powering Sydney’s Future project is due for completion by November 2022.
View more information about the project here.
